x

Chambers: I Want - and Need - Success With Ipswich - Ipswich Town News

Like all supporters, captain Luke Chambers is hoping Town can recover from Tuesday’s setback at Doncaster and return to winning ways in what promises to be another tough assignment at Lincoln tomorrow.

Michael Appleton’s Imps are sitting third in the table on the same 16-point tally as the second-placed Blues and the top of League One is looking predictably congested as just six points separate leaders Hull and sixth-placed Doncaster who, along with fifth-placed Sunderland, both have games in hand on the others.

In Town’s previous seven games the opposition have looked to press in high areas, seeking to gain possession before Town could get into their passing rhythm, and Chambers said: "Accrington did it, Doncaster did it, they’ve all done it, and I expect Lincoln will press at times and drop off at other times.

"In most of our games the opposition have been trying to do the same thing and play the same way against us.

"We’ve come out on top in the majority of the battles and on Tuesday we didn’t do that. Lincoln will play a similar game — they are an aggressive, running team with fit players.

"When the ball goes forward to the big man up top they will be looking to play and press.

"Every team will be looking at how they can stop us and they will look at what happened at Doncaster.

"We conspired to defeat ourselves by the way we conceded the goals. We had played at such a high level as a group and when so many of us dropped below that standard in Tuesday’s game it was one of the main reasons we lost.”

Chambers will remain at right-back, manager Paul Lambert having said he's not looking at making changes after just one disappointing result and performance, and he has no qualms about continuing in the role for the greater good of the team.

He added: "Maybe in the past, when I was playing centre-half, I took on too much and I was trying to do a bit of everything.

"That’s not the case at the moment. I’m playing right-back and enjoying the fact that I can get further up the pitch.

"I’m looking after my own little slot and doing what I can to help the team. I’m trying to enjoy it as much as I can and for as long as I can.”

Meanwhile, the skipper is still coming to terms with his newly-acquired status as one of the top 10 league appearance-makers in the history of the club.

"If, as expected, he plays at Sincil Bank it will be his 345th league game for the club and edge him ahead of Jimmy Leadbetter to occupy tenth place outright.

He features alongside legends like Mick Mills, George Burley and John Wark, all members of Bobby Robson’s team that won the FA Cup in 1978 and the UEFA Cup three years later, while challenging regularly for the League Championship at the same time.

Chambers said: "I’ve had a lot to do with George and John but I haven’t met Mick very often. I know he co-commentates on a lot of our games so I’m not sure about his opinion of me at the moment!

"But just to be mentioned alongside these guys…I don’t want to say it’s a little embarrassing because of where we are at the moment but what can I say? I’ve achieved that milestone and I’m in that group, albeit not at the level where they played.

"I’m there by right, by playing games and I must have done something right to have been around this long.

"You can only look after your own position at times and help others as much as you can — that’s what it means to play as a team. I just want to play as long as I can and enjoy it as much as I can, and I have been doing that for the last few weeks.”

Chambers revealed that he and Burley, the only Town player to go on and manage the club, met regularly for a while — in an Ipswich school playground.

He added: "I spent a lot of time with George because his grandkids and my kids went to the same school for a time and we chatted in the playground on many occasions.

"He’s a really good guy and he’s looked after me. He’s father-in-law to Chris Hogg, who played for the club and was also on the coaching staff before joining Newcastle.

"Johnny Wark is always around but I haven’t seen a lot of him recently because of the lockdown but I know all about what all three of them achieved for this club.

"To be in their company for the number of appearances I have made is great for me and my family.

"They will be the same as me — we do it for the fans, to try and achieve success for the club and give everything for the cause. My family are proud of me and that’s what matters to me.

"But I also want — and need — success with Ipswich and I’ve been crying out for it. I’ve wanted it ever since I came here in 2012.

"Back then we wanted to get to the Premier League and it hurts that we’re a long way from that now. As I’ve said, it doesn’t sit well with me.

"We’ve got an opportunity to do something this year and we can’t get too flustered about one result, the defeat at Doncaster on Tuesday.

"We know what’s required — we need to bounce back at Lincoln tomorrow — and if we do what we were doing in the first six games of the season I think we’ll have a good opportunity.”

What to read next:

Players Gift Fans Signed Third Kit Shirts as Thank-You
The Town first-team squad bought and gifted signed new third kit shirts to travelling fans ahead of kick-off at Ewood Park yesterday afternoon.
Town Women Face League Leaders Charlton
Ipswich Town Women travel to face table-topping Charlton Athletic at the Valley this afternoon still looking for their first WSL2 point (KO 2pm, live on YouTube).
EFL Statement on Abandonment
The EFL has issued a statement relating to yesterday’s abandoned Championship game between the Blackburn Rovers and the Blues at Ewood Park.
Blackburn Rovers A-A Ipswich Town - Highlights
Highlights of yesterday’s abandoned game against Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park.
McKenna: An Inevitable Decision
Town boss Kieran McKenna says it was an ‘inevitable decision’ for referee Stephen Martin to abandon the Blues’ match at Blackburn Rovers and expects to return to Ewood Park to restage the contest.
U21s Beat Chelsea to Hit Top of Table
Town’s U21s hit the top of Premier League 2 following a 4-2 away victory over previous leaders Chelsea at Kingsmeadow this afternoon.
Blackburn Rovers 1-0 Ipswich Town - Match Abandoned
Town look set to face a return trip to Blackburn Rovers later in the season after this afternoon’s game was abandoned after 80 minutes due to a waterlogged pitch with the home side 1-0 up and with the Blues down to 10 men. Jacob Greaves was shown a straight red card four minutes after the break for hauling down Yuki Ohashi, then Rovers skipper Todd Cantwell netted a penalty on 59, but the heavy rain had made the game increasingly farcical the longer it progressed and in the 80th minute referee Stephen Martin took the players off and then 25 minutes later abandoned it entirely.
Blackburn Rovers 0-0 Ipswich Town - Half-Time
The Blues’ game at Blackburn Rovers remains 0-0 at half-time at a very rainy Ewood Park.
Blackburn Rovers v Ipswich Town - Chatroom Open
Join us in the chatroom to discuss the game as it unfolds with hundreds of other Town fans.
Town Unchanged at Blackburn
Town have named an unchanged side for this afternoon’s game against Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park.